OVERALL

When choosing an LSAT course, instead of trying to determine which test preparation course is "best," you should instead concern yourself with which course will best fit your needs. Determine what's important for you: Lots of practice material with explanations and computer grading? Plenty of classroom hours? Small classes with personal attention? Easy to learn material? Once you've determined your needs, review each company to see which will fit your needs best.

TEACHERS

What should a good LSAT teacher possess? Experience with teaching the test and enthusiasm. When choosing a course, contact companies directly and ask who specifically will teach your course, rather than assuming that all teachers for a company are necessarily the same. In evaluating teachers, many students assume that a higher score equals a better teacher. This is not necessarily true. What's the difference between someone who scored in the 95th percentile (about a 167) and someone who scored in the 99.1st percentile (about a 172)? Not much. Indeed, above the 95th percentile, a higher score on the LSAT oftentimes simply reflects the speed at which a test-taker reads, not necessarily how much LSAT knowledge the test-taker has. As such, someone who scored in the 99th percentile probably reads slightly faster than someone who scored in the 95th percentile. Thus, the difference between a teacher who scored in the 95th percentile versus the 99th percentile means very little. What does count is how well the teacher can teach you how to score well. What about the teacher's experience with law school or law? This is a nice bonus, but for teaching the LSAT, it doesn't matter much. The LSAT tests logic and reading, as such, no knowledge of law is required. If you have questions about law, law school or admissions, go to your school's pre-law counselor or another source (many test preparation companies also offer law school admissions consulting).

METHODS

Focus on how a company teaches you methods rather than which company has the "best" methods. Many focus on a course's Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games) methods, as this section oftentimes proves the most difficult and unfamiliar to many test-takers. Certainly this is an important section, but keep in mind that the Logical Reasoning section consists of two full sections, compared to one section of Analytical Reasoning. As such, be sure to check out a company's Logical Reasoning methods (and how they teach those methods).

BOOKS/OTHER MATERIALS

This is an aspect in which the courses vary. Check each company to see what you get in addition to the class. Most preparation companies provide several LSAT PrepTests as part of the course. If you take a course that does not offer LSAT PrepTests, you should purchase these on your own.

SHOULD I TAKE AN ON-LINE COURSE?

If you think a preparation book is not enough, but a live course is too expensive, consider taking an on-line course, which provides essentially the same content as a live course would, yet via on-line. Many on-line course options provide you with an e-mail contact if get really stuck as well - a big advantage over a book. If you're okay without a teacher but want much more support from that in a book, consider on-line options.

WHICH COURSE SHOULD I TAKE? Follow these steps:

Step 1- Decide what's important to you - Flexibility or Structure? Plenty of Classroom Time or Loads of Practice Material? Serious Atmosphere or a Relaxed One? Small Classes? On-line Course?

Step 2- Contact the companies and get specifics on your local teacher's experience and enthusiasm.

Step 3- Choose a course. Optional - If you have not taken a logic course, consider either taking one before your LSAT class, or purchasing Richard Feldman's Reason & Argument, an excellent introduction to the basics of logic.